This past January 2nd we were hit by the strongest windstorm anyone has ever seen here in the Lake Arenal area. The photos here are of 2 different areas in the La Reserva forest showing the damage it caused. It almost looks like a slash and burn logging area, before the burn. It is as if a tornado hit in these small (1/2 hectare) areas, because it caused all of the trees to twist and snap in half, no matter how big
they were.
My first reaction was to mourn the loss of my old friends. I’ve admired those huge old trees for many years and am always pointing them out to the people who go on our forest tours, telling of their names and qualities.
My second reaction was a deep understanding of the way the universe works and an awareness of just how interesting it will be for all of us to watch the progress of all the small, pioneer trees who have lived in the shadow of these giant's canopies. These areas, before the storm, were in complete shade.
The symbol here, for me, is positive change from negative events. Creation from destruction, yin and yang, all of the opposites we read about in the spiritual literature. Achieving the balance between these two forces is what is needed in the world now to solve the environmental crisis we all face.
The Earth is saturated and we are at the lowest level of the negative cycle that we’ve been on for these past centuries (like that evil wind). NOW is the time for positive action to bring about positive results. Rebuilding, restoring, replanting, regenerating, reforesting, recycling…….you know all those famous R words, the positive verbs (actions). Fussing, fighting, fretting, foul mouthing, futility, friction……..those F words are and cause negative consequences.
Recently I’ve had many opportunities to observe this negativity and it’s effect. Many well meaning, good-hearted people who are deeply concerned with the state of our world are angry, even militant, about what needs to be done to solve the endless issues. Stopping all development (closing the door behind us), lawsuits against violators of environmental laws, reporting violations to the proper authorities, violent or non-violent action against others is negative, no matter how you look at it. The key word here is against. THIS RIPS US APART EVEN THOUGH, DOWN DEEP, WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING. Can you ignore what you dislike and rather than be against it, take positive action to counteract it?
We are the generation to start the positive, upward swing. This is our destiny as a whole. If we do it now, it will be followed for centuries on end. The negative, downward cycle will return someday, I’m sure, because this is the nature of our universe, but, at least, WE THE PEOPLE, now, made this positive change.
I will post photos of these same areas of the forest each year so that we can all observe the amazing process of succession. Until next time,
LET’S GET PLANTING!
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